I’m a mom of three boys. Three boys who love to play and imagine their own little worlds. They can be slaying dragons, firing the cannon, or attacking Darth Vader and I love it (assuming no one is jumping off the play set). I don’t ban squirt guns from my house. My boys have swords and shields. My boys like to shoot their bow and arrow with dad. They have real cap guns from Texas. They attack the enemy pirates with berries, which I later find in my washing machine.
They’re playing. I’m not in fear that playing with a squirt gun is going make them aggressive and crazy adults. They’re playing. It’s our job as a parent to teach them right from wrong and fiction from non-fiction. I don’t think having a water fight in the backyard is going to damage them. Am I a little embarrassed when my son pretends a cubanelle pepper in the grocery store is a gun and he’s trying to shoot down the balloons…yeah a little bit. But he’s cute!
So knights, dragons, pirates, Star Wars, and cowboys…bring it on. It’s time to play.
And at the end of the day they are still sweet, caring, and polite little boys. It’s all about how they’re raised.
So true! I agree 100%. It is funny you mention the pepper because I do know moms who try to ban play guns or any play weapons in the home. And guess what? Their kiddos turn various inanimate objects into play guns. Great post!
Boys will be boys and it seems ‘shooting’ things is all just part of the testosterone-driven imagination. As was said above, if they don’t have a gun-like toy to use, they will find something else that fits the shape and use that, whether it’s a pepper, a stick or Lego.
My brother and his wife did not allow play guns in their house. Today, as young adults, their son joined the Reserves and learned how to shoot a real gun. He, his wife, and his sister all play air soft with their friends. They are people of faith and would never deliberately hurt anyone, let alone actually kill anyone, but they have so much fun with their games and it’s a great way to burn off some energy and keep active.
It’s great that your kids are using their imaginations! 🙂
It is how they are raised…….and pretend is a wonderful place to grow.